Sam Smith, Beck big winners at Grammys

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(CNN)The 2015 Grammys offered the familiar -- a slew of awards for a newcomer, some outstanding performances -- and the unfamiliar: Kanye West laughing and smiling?

Here are a few things that dominated the evening and ideas to make the show better:

Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Sam Smith accepts the Song of the Year Grammy for "Stay With Me" at the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8. Smith also won Record of the Year ("Stay With Me"), Best Pop Vocal Album ("In the Lonely Hour") and Best New Artist.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Beck receives the Grammy for Best Rock Album. His "Morning Phase" was also named Album of the Year.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Smokey Robinson presents Beyonce with the award for Best R&B Performance. "Drunk in Love" also took home the Grammy for Best R&B Song.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Pharrell Williams accepts the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Happy (Live)." The song also earned the Best Music Video award, and Pharrell's "Girl" was named Best Urban Contemporary Album.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Miranda Lambert takes the stage after winning Best Country Album for "Platinum."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Winners

Ian Axel, left, and Chad Vaccarino of A Great Big World accept the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. They won the award for their song "Say Something," featuring Christina Aguilera.

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"Weird Al" Yankovic accepts the award for Best Comedy Album ("Mandatory Fun").

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Welcome, Sam Smith!

A year ago, the British soul singer was an unknown in America. Sunday night, he took home four Grammys, including song of the year, record of the year (both for "Stay with Me"), best new artist and best pop vocal album (for "In the Lonely Hour").

He also gave a dazzling performance of "Stay with Me" with Mary J. Blige pitching in. About the only thing that could have made it better was if Tom Petty, who was credited on the song thanks to similarities to "I Won't Back Down," had joined him.

"I'm having a really, really, really good night," Smith said as he won song of the year. That was an understatement.

Is that Kanye West?

Like dancing unicorns and functioning Congresses, a smiling, laughing Kanye West was considered a mythical creature: occasionally talked about but never seen.

On Sunday night, though, the usually grim-faced rapper gave a soulful performance of "Only One," joined Rihanna and a somewhat awkward Paul McCartney for "FourFiveSeconds" and then jokingly stole the show by running on stage when Beck won album of the year for "Morning Phase."

Common and John Legend perform their song "Glory" to close out the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8. The song, from the movie "Selma," recently won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Beyonce sings the gospel song "Take My Hand, Precious Lord."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Chris Martin joins Beck for a performance of Beck's "Heart Is a Drum." Beck won Album of the Year and Best Rock Album for "Morning Phase."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Actress Kristen Wiig performs while Sia sings her song "Chandelier."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Colombian rocker Juanes performs his new song "Juntos (Together)."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Mary J. Blige and Sam Smith perform Smith's "Stay With Me," which won the Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Paul McCartney, Kanye West and Rihanna team up on Rihanna's new song "FourFiveSeconds."

Madonna had some interesting performers for her single "Living for Love."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Kanye West went Auto-Tune for "Only One."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

Miranda Lambert performs "Little Red Wagon."

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Ariana Grande sings "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart."

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Photos:2015 Grammys: Performances

AC/DC open the show with "Rock or Bust" and "Highway to Hell."

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Annie Lennox goes to church; AC/DC goes to hell; Sia goes looking for a place to hide

Hozier was doing a fine job with his "Take Me to Church," but Lennox gave the song a new dimension -- and then took the audience to church with her soulful, dramatic version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You."

Then there was AC/DC, which started the show with "Rock or Bust" and "Highway to Hell." As surprising as it was to see the heavy-metal heroes on the Grammys -- not usually known for a fondness for metal -- it was equally surprising to see a group of celebrities wearing devil horns in the group's honor.

About 11:10 p.m. ET, the Grammys gave out the final award of the night, record of the year. But the show still had about 35 minutes to go -- including an In Memoriam montage, a speech by Recording Academy head Neil Portnow about streaming royalties and performances by Beyonce ("Take My Hand, Precious Lord") and John Legend and Common ("Glory").

Johnny Carson once joked that the Oscars were "two hours of sparkling entertainment spread over a four-hour show." One wonders how many viewers hung around to watch the Grammys after the final award -- usually the sign that it's time to go, folks.

But, of course, there's always something unexpected about the Grammys.

Not much of a show, was it? Between trying too hard, being too long and having some awkward timing, this Grammy broadcast just didn't measure up to those of recent years.

So here are some suggestions for next year:

Pay attention to the pacing. Sunday's show just seemed off. And with so much show left after the final award for record of the year, viewers need a presentation that stays strong until the end.

Hire camera operators who recognize that you do not get Paul McCartney to have a seat when he's up dancing like a grandpa. Well, he is a grandfather, but Macca is allowed to do whatever he wants. The former Beatle was really, really digging ELO's performance of "Evil Woman" when he noticed that he was on camera and blocking the crowd shot behind him. Jam on, Macca, jam on.

Madonna, however, can have several seats. Yes, she reinvents herself all the time, but at this point, performances like Sunday night's "Living for Love" -- which we guess are supposed to be provocative -- are starting to feel like when Memaw has had too much to drink at Thanksgiving.

And that's not because of her age but because it feels dated. We've seen it all before.

Finally, could we please just have more Prince next year? Performing, presenting, giving side-eye, we don't care. Just more Prince, Grammys, if you please.